Improv Music Therapy for Older Adults

Impact of Improvisation Music Therapy for Persons Living With Dementia and Their Care Partners

Older adults and their care partners will participate in music therapy sessions for approximately 8 weeks. Before and after the 8 week study period, participants will fill out questionnaires about their mood, stress levels, and emotions. During the music therapy sessions, they may be observed or asked questions about the music therapy sessions.

Inclusion Criteria

Inclusion criteria for the Person Living with Dementia (PLWD) are:

• Age 60 and over, living independently in the community
• Medical diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease
• Mild dementia defined as MoCA score between 16-20, or MMSE score between 19-24
• Sufficient visual and hearing acuity (age-related to normal hearing loss with assistive devices)
• English fluency rated fairly well to well (self-rated English fluency)

Inclusion Criteria for Caregiver are:

• Age 18 or Older
• Moderate to good English fluency (self-rated English fluency)
• Willing to participate in intervention with PLWD

Exclusion Criteria

Exclusion criteria for PLWD are:

• Medical diagnosis of severe dementia (any etiology)
• Non-AD dementia diagnosis (e.g., frontotemporal dementia)
• Serious medical condition (e.g., an end-stage disease requiring hospice, aphasia from stroke, paralysis, brain injury) requiring active medical management that would interfere with participation in the study
• Significant difficulty moving the hands or arms (severe arthritis, neuropathy)
• Plans to move out of the area within six months

Exclusion criteria for Caregiver are:

• Current but not prior severe psychiatric disorder (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder)
• Serious medical condition (e.g., an end-stage disease requiring hospice, aphasia from stroke, paralysis, brain injury) requiring active medical management that would interfere with participation in the study
• Plans to move out of the area